Portable electrogalvanic apparatus for use in connection with baths or the like



Mayfi, 1941- F. LANDAUER 2,

7 PORTABLE ELECTROGALVANIC APPARATUS FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH BATHS OR THE LIKE I Filed July 24, 1959 INVENTOR F /rz uuvon uze PATENT AGENT Patented May a, 194i UNETEE E'iit'iES FOR USE IN CONNECTI THE LIKEv ON WITH BATES OR Fritz Landauer, New York, N. Y. Application July 24, 1939, Serial No. 236.2%?

3 illairns.

This invention relates to therapeutic apparatus and deals more particularly with electrogalvanic apparatus for use in the treatment of various ailments.

While the apparatus herein contemplated may be used directly in electrotherapy, the invention is more particularly concerned with electric apparatus for use in elelctrogalvanic baths.

While apparatus of the above nature is known, it is more particularly adapted for hospital and clinical use and is beyond the economic reach of many sufferers who need curative treatment thereby.

Attempts have been made to simplify the electrical arrangement for such baths but up to 1 the present time little has been done to provide a simple expedient for use in the conventional household bath tub and to facilitate the use of an electrogalvanic bath to be operated even by the bather without the possibility of wrong use.

To this end it is suggested by this invention that the bath liquid may first flow for use without any charge of electric current, that the person taking the bath may securedly operate switch or any other regulating means for providing an electric current within the bath while reposing therein or in standing position. Thus the person using the bath will not be perturbed by the effect of the electrogalvanic current, since the latter will be applied to the persons body only in consonance with his desire.

The invention further seeks to provide an electrogalvanic apparatus which is inexpensive, portable and easily put to use, a particular feature being the adaptability of the apparatus for use either in the bath tub or shower bath, and/or directly applied to the affected parts of the anatomy.

The invention also contemplates the use of direct current in the apparatus and contemplates 2. suitable form of battery (dry cell or storage) for this purpose.

The invention further seeks to provide means for varying the intensity of the current in the apparatus and contemplates the provision of a control unit in the circuit for effecting such a change and combining in said unit a polarity changer so that the direction of the current may be changed during the treatment to obviate cumbersome rearrangement of the electrodes and the wiring connections; the polarity changer being made operable only after the intensity of current be set back to zero.

Also contemplated herein is a portable kit comprising the elements of the apparatus, said (Cl. 128-365H kit being light in Weight, not bulky and easily stored.

With the foregoing and many other objects, features and advantages in View, the invention may be best realized from the following detailed specification which is based on the accompanying drawing, in which exemplary forms of the invention are illustrated.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational View, partly in cross section, of a bath tub having the instant invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the kit comprising the portable apparatus;

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic showing of the paratus circuit;

Fig. 4 is an end sectional view illustrating the application of the apparatus to a shower bath;

Fig. 5 is an end View, partly in section of one form of electrode employable in the apparatus;

Fig. 6 is a front View of one end of another form of electrode;

Fig. 7 illustrates the form of application of the electrodes directly to a human limb.

Referring now to the drawing in greater detail, Figs. 1 and 3 illustrate a. usual form of porbelainized or otherwise glazed bath tub iii. This, of course, is essential since the tub itself forms no part of the electrical circuit and must be insulated therefrom to give the desirable control of use of the apparatus.

It is contemplated, as shown in Fig. 2, to provide a kit comprising the portable apparatus. This kit is preferably housed in a box ll having a cover l2 therefor and comprises the battery It, a reel or spool of water insulated con ducting wire it, the tub or shower electrodes 15 and it, and a unit ll combining a current controller and a polarity changer. If desired, the kit may include hand electrodes, such as shown at I 8. This latter form of electrode is shown in detail in Fig. 5.

The unit ll comprises essentially a variable resistance to and a polarity changer 29. Provision may be made by a suitable blocking device to prevent the operation of the polarity changer unless the said resistance i9 is first set back to zero.

When it is desired to use the apparatus, water is placed in the tub (Fig. 1) or directed from shower head 2! (Fig. 4). The electrodes l5 and I6 are placed in the bath and arranged in such a manner as to cause the current to flow through the water which serves as the electrolyte of the apparatus. The electrodes are connected as shown to the battery l3, resistance is, and polarity changer Zli. A body in the tub would therefore be subjected to the galvanic current thus set up.

It has been found that it is desirable to pass the current in a direction to emanate from the efiected part. Thus, if the shoulders are to be treated, the negative electrode will be placed near the shoulders so the current may pass out oi the body at that point. It is obvious then that the polarity changer serves to obviate undue manipulation of the electrodes.

The conductors from the reel l4 may be provided with suction cups such as 22 so that they may be held in desired position when the apparatus is applied to the tub. Also, the electrodes and the unit ll may be suitably provided with means such as 23, for hooking them or otherwise attaching them to the tub, shower head, or other desired places for removal therefrom.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 4 operates as does the one above described, the electrogalvanic current passing from'electrode 15, which is reniovabiy mounted adjacent and in front of shower head 2 i, through the downwardly directed flow of water from the shower head 2| to electrode l6 positioned and immersed in the bath liquid.

The electrode shown in Fig. 5 is of the hand type resembling a brush having insulated prongs in which are disposed conductors 25 receiving or passing current to and from the battery l3. This, of course, depends on which terminal of the battery connects with the conductor 25.

The electrode shown in Fig. 6 is one such as may be used in the arrangements of Fig. 1 and Fig. 4 and has an external electrically insulated cover. The electrode and/or cover may be made flexible.

Fig. '7 illustrates themanner of applying the electrodes i502 and tea to an afiected limb so that the current may pass out of the limb at the area being treated.

It is understood that conventional bathing salts or other compositions may be added to the bath liquid to provide a more efilcient electrolyte having additional beneficial effect (besides the electrogalvanic effect) on the body of the bather.

In the employment of cures for skin and similar ailments it is to be noted that salves, ointments, salts, etc., are in most instances superficial and do not reach below the skin. When, however, an electrogalvanic'infiuence is added to the skin, the cure becomes'more eflicacious and in less time, as the medicament may thereby more readily enter the skin to a certain depth thereof.

, It is not intended that the invention as claimed be-limited by the specific details shown as many changes in detail and arrangements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is well understood, that any liquid inlet for the bath, producing a shower effect or a water jet, may be utilized for the purpose intended, since one of said electrodes, when mounted adjacent and in front of said inlet and in any desired distance therefrom and from the other of said electrodes, causes the electric current to be conducted through the liquid flow to said other of said electrodes.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A portable apparatus of the character described for use in connection with baths having an inlet for bath liquid, such as a shower head, providing for a substantially downwardly directed liquid flow, comprising a source of direct current, a pair of spaced apart electrodes, a circuit connecting said electrodes with said current source, an electric control unit connected to said circuit for regulating said current from said source to said electrodes, means for detachably mounting said circuit and said control unit on said bath and within the reach of the bather within the bath, and means for removably attaching said electrodes to the bath for removal therefrom, one of said electrodes being positioned as to be immersed in the bath liquid, the other of said electrodes being in the form of a plate and placed intermediate said one electrode and said liquid inlet and directly in the path of liquid emitted from said inlet, whereby an electric current may be caused to be conducted through said liquid in either direction of said liquid flow between said electrodes.

2. An apparatus of the character described for use in connection with a bath having a shower head or like inlet for the bath liquid providing a substantially downwardly directed liquid flow, comprising a source of direct current, a pair of electrodes, a circuit connecting said electrodes with said current source, and an electric control unit displaceably secured to said bath within convenient reach of the bather and connected to said circuit for regulating the current from said source to said electrodes, one of said electrodes being so positioned as to be immersed in the bath liquid, the other of said electrodes being perforated and detachably mounted adjacent and in front of said liquid inlet for removal therefrom in a position spaced apart from said one of said electrodes, whereby the electric current may be conducted through said liquid in either direction between said electrodes.

3. An apparatus of the character described for use in connection with a bath having a shower head or like inlet for the bath liquid providing a substantially downwardly directed liquid flow comprising a source of direct current, a pair of electrodes, a circuit connecting said electrodes with said current source, and an electric control unit positioned adjacent said bath and within convenient reach of the bather when in the bath, said unit being connected to said circuit for regulating said current from said source to said electrodes, one of said electrodes being so positioned as to be immersed in the bath liquid, the other of said electrodes being perforated and displaceably mounted spaced apart from and substantially in front of said liquid inlet and in a position spaced apart from said one electrode, whereby the electric current may be conducted through said liquid in either direction between said electrodes.

FRITZ LANDAUER. 

